It started everything
by MissaSolemnis
Summary: If she knew there was a storm coming, she wouldn't have come. But then, knowing Kyouyasempai, he would surely raise her debt another million if she didn't come to this function.


**Give me a reason and I will**

**by: MissaSolemnis**

**Disclaimer: **I don't and never will own Ouran High School Host club.

**Genre: **Romance, comedy, slight angst and tremendous fluff.

**A.N. **I'm dedicating this to my best friend, "Nikki-chan" who supported me in my writing career (ahem) and is a big fan of Ouran high. This year is the last year that we'll study in the same school. Uhuhuuhu... After graduation it's bye bye for you and me... TT... And to all the fans of Ouran High, peace dudes!!! I know you may not like the pairing... but I like them so there's nothing you can do about it neh? (I was joking peeps. Please don't flame me) Anyway, enough blabbering...

And now... for our feature presentation... (Drum roll)

Kyouya:

Kyouya sat on the sofa, cursing Tamaki for being so... so... idiotic. His migraine was bothering him ever since he arrived at their manor. Here he was, sitting alone in the empty house recalling every detail of what caused the misunderstanding.

"_Kyouya-kun, why don't we take a vacation in one of your rest houses?" Tamaki said cheerfully as usual. The other members of the host club automatically lodged into the conversation. Well, of course Mori-sempai wasn't speaking._

"_The only rest house we can use is in Everwood. The autumn season is its peak so it should be picturesque there." Kyouya considered._

"_Right then." Tamaki muttered. Though he didn't look as if he were listening. His attention was focused upon Haruhi who was playing cards with the twins. _

So that's why? The idiot of a king wasn't listening properly. So instead of going to Everwood, they were staying at their estate in "Neverwood" which was quite accurately at the opposite side of the country.

He was quite disappointed to find out that even the twins, Mori-sempai and Honey-sempai also weren't listening back then. But then again, maybe it's for the best because only a few hours ago, a typhoon hit the location of Everwood.

"Tamaki you idiot." He whispered wearily.

All of a sudden, his phone rang.

"Kyouya speaking."

"A-anou... Kyouya-sempai?" Said a somewhat nervous voice.

_Fujioka Haruhi. _

"Yes Haruhi?" He asked. She was with Tamaki, right? Then why did she even bother to call him?

"Well, you see, I traveled a few hours after Tamaki-sempai and the others left, because my father wanted me to do something."

"Oh I see. You should have told him Tamaki." Kyouya replied.

"Well, I couldn't contact him because of the static. There's a storm brewing." True to her word, the line was beginning to get choppy.

_Storm? The typhoon didn't yet reach Neverwood. _

_Could it be..._

"Where are you?"

"I'm at the train station but because there aren't any taxis around, I couldn't get to Everwood." Haruhi said, yelling a bit because of the strong wind from the other side of the line.

"Don't go anywhere. I'm picking you up." Kyouya said and immediately went to the garage.

Haruhi:

The wind was bitterly cold and it was also raining very hard. Haruhi shivered in her coat as she wrapped it tighter around her.

If she knew there was a storm coming, she wouldn't have come. But then, knowing Kyouya-sempai, he would surely raise her debt another million if she didn't come to this function. And besides, the other host club members also begged her. Not that Mori-sempai actually "begged" her to come. Honey-sempai's cute face was enough persuasion.

She sighed. Really, she was quite excited about the whole thing. Autumn was her mom's season and from what Kyouya-sempai told them, it was quite picturesque there at this time of year.

Too bad the weather had such bad timing.

Nervously, she looked at the sky. There wasn't any sign of a thunderstorm, only heavy rain. She breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, a black car honked in front of the terminal. Looking as impeccable as ever, Kyouya-sempai emerged from the driver's seat, bearing a large umbrella.

_I thought he was going to send a chauffeur to pick me up. _

Breathless, she stored Kyouya's perfect image in her fond memories of Ouran high.

"Sorry for waiting." Kyouya said, unperturbed.

"It's alright Kyouya-sempai." Haruhi said.

Kyouya:

There she stood, shaking like a wet kitten. He suddenly felt a ridiculous urge to draw her into his arms and warm her up till she's no longer shaking. Or perhaps never to let her go again.

_Stop being an idiot Kyouya. You're just feverish, that's all. _He told himself.

"You look a bit pale, Kyouya-sempai. Are you ill?" She asked, with a worried expression.

Taken aback, he said abruptly, "I'm fine, thanks." And edged away if ever Haruhi might decide to touch his forehead.

"Are you sure you're alright?" She asked persisntently.

Realizing that he really wasn't feeling well, he changed the topic before Haruhi could even read his mind, because she always seemed to do that, reading his mind. She has an uncanny ability to read people so easily that he'd better keep away from her.

_Keep away? You make me laugh, Ootori Kyouya._

Of course he couldn't keep away from her due to practical matters. But then... some of those practical matters aren't really that practical.

_I just need a reason... a reason to..._

He didn't even dare complete the thought, but deep inside, he knew but didn't want to admit some of the major facts in his life.

"A-anou... Kyouya-sempai." Haruhi peered at him.

"Let's go." He said, perhaps a little colder than intended.

Haruhi shuffled to follow him. When he started the engine, "Wow, Kyouya-sempai, you're allowed to drive a car even though you're under-aged?"

"Well, yeah. I do have a license you know." He said as-a-matter-of-factly.

_I should have taken another jacket with me. I'm freezing._

"Why didn't you just send the chauffeur to pick me up, sempai?" She asked.

"I didn't bring a chauffeur with me." He replied as he sped up to the rest house.

"Then why not Tamaki-sempai or the others' chauffeur?"

He sighed. Not that he was exasperated with her questions. It's just that, he had to blurt out the truth. He wondered if she would freak out when she finds out that their practically alone in a secluded place.

"Tamaki and the others aren't here." He said quietly.

She cocked her head to the other side.

"They went to 'Neverwood'. Apparently, the president of the host club wasn't listening properly when I said the only vacant place is 'Everwood'." He explained.

Waiting for a nervous reaction, He tapped the steering wheel slightly.

"Oh."

_That's it? Oh?_

"Shall I ask some of my men to bring you back to Tokyo?" He asked.

"That would be perilous especially during a storm, Kyouya-sempai. And besides, I wouldn't want to raise my debt a million yen higher." Haruhi said calmly.

Yes, indeed, it had stung a bit. To think that Haruhi thought of him that way. But it couldn't be helped. That's how he portrayed himself in public. An egoist and always calculating. It's better if she saw him that way than her seeing the other side of him.

_Why am I thinking like a bloody woman? _

He clenched his jaw.

Haruhi:

Her heart skipped a beat when he saw the muscle in his jaw clench a bit. _Is he angry with me? I knew it. I shouldn't have said that tart, ungrateful comment._

Wanting to somehow restore Kyouya's calm features a while ago, she said,

"Tamaki-sempai could be an idiot sometimes." She said quietly.

That earned her a very charming grin from Kyouya.

"Make that most of the time." He said. "He was busy staring at you, that's why he wasn't able to listen to me properly."

She froze.

"And then he was blabbering about that father and daughter thing." He looked at her sideways.

_Oh. _

His eyes were beautiful. Wide but slightly narrow. They were framed by long dusky lashes and the edges slightly sharp that reminded her of a hawk. Intelligent but beautiful, deep and enigmatic. Those were the accurate words she would describe Kyouya as a whole.

"Haruhi." He said, snapping her out of her reverie.

The sound of her name on his lips almost made her spine shiver.

Needing to lead her thoughts, elsewhere, she noticed the warmth emanating from the car's ventilation.

"It's so warm and nice here, Kyouya-sempai." She said.

"This is the car I always use when nearing the winter months because of it's warm heater." He said.

Then,

He sneezed.

"Kyouya-sempai, daijoubu?" She asked, worried.

"I'm alright. Just a bit of dust." He said lamely.

_Dust? Yeah right. As if the highly immaculate car would acquire dust in this weather. _But noticing Kyouya's closed expression, she stopped thinking about it.

Kyouya:

_Damn. I really must be coming down with a cold. _He seldom had colds when he was a child. _Why now? _

"We're here." He said.

He got out of the car and opened the door for Haruhi to come out.

At least it stopped raining for a while. Though it left the place quite gray and depressing.

"It's beautiful." Haruhi smiled as she gazed at the auburn landscape. "It's true, Kyouya-sempai."

"What?"

"About what you said. Everwood's peak is autumn."

_So she was listening. _

Oddly, he felt a smile tug at his lips. Maybe it's because of the glimmer he saw in Haruhi's brown eyes for the simple joy of seeing beautiful scenery.

"Let's go inside." He beckoned for her to follow him.

He felt awkward.

In the corner of his vision, he saw Haruhi shiver. Wordlessly, he handed his leather trench coat to her.

"Demo, sempai," She interrupted.

"I'll build the fire."

"Huh?"

Camouflaging his shaking hands by pocketing them, he faced her and said stonily,

"I'll build the fire, Fujioka-san, that means, you should collect some firewood."

Really, he didn't intend to get Haruhi's face all ghost white. He just... just...

Had to build a fire.

Haruhi:

_Kyouya-sempai didn't have to be that cold. Even so... Maybe he just didn't want her around. _

With a small sigh, she went outside to get some pieces of wood before the rain started.

She wished she just stayed at home. At least it was warm there. And she wasn't obligated to gather firewood, she thought resentfully. At their house, they had a convenient heater.

Here, seeing that the house was old fashioned and Victorian... She sighed again.

Suddenly, the sky darkened further. Haruhi looked up just in time to see a flash of lighting whipping at the sky, thunder rolling loudly.

Kyouya:

_Damn, damn, damn! _

He almost forgot that Haruhi was scared of thunder and lightning. Running outside, he saw her rooted to the ground staring at the sky.

Thunder suddenly broke through the damp atmosphere. Terrified, Haruhi screamed.

He made his way towards her, but she ran opposite the house into the woods. If she went to far, she might go over the cliff--,

He stopped thinking. He just ran after her before it's too late.

She was approximately a hundred meters away from him but when she looked back, his heart almost stopped beating.

In her dilated eyes beheld sheer terror.

_Was he the one she was looking at that way?_

"Haruhi!" He shouted.

He didn't even notice that the rain started pouring heavily. _Can you believe that, Kyouya, you, calling after a bloody woman. _Normally, he would have grinned at the gesture but right at the moment, he couldn't afford to waste time.

Sprinting faster than he'd ever done in his life, his legs ate up the meters separating them. He reached out for her, but instead, she ran faster.

"K'so!" He hissed.

Another roll of thunder issued and lightning cracked the sky. Haruhi suddenly turned without warning, almost knocking him off his feet when she bumped against him hard.

Soft and frail, that's how he'd describe how Haruhi felt in his arms. She was shaking terribly.

"It's alright." He said soothingly.

"S-sempai!" She gasped. All of a sudden, she started crying.

Deep wrenching sobs emitted from her small frame that he was quite sure her pain was almost palpable.

"Sh..." He positioned her head at the crook of his neck and shoulder.

She was weaving on her feet so very gently, he lifted her up in his arms.

She was still crying so he simply held her.

Haruhi:

_My tears started falling. Naze? Dooshite? _

_I feel cold and warm at the same time. Why is that? I can't open my eyes. If I did, more tears will fall._

_Why am I so scared?_

_So scared of lightning? _

_No. It's the fear of getting struck by it. I feel as if even though I'm in a covered place, it could always strike me._

_Almost a weird metaphor to pain and sadness. Wherever I go, it's always there. No matter what I do to keep busy, It always finds a way to surround me. _

"_It's alright." _came a voice.

Startled, she looked up. They were met by the most beautiful jet colored eyes that even in the situation, radiated warmth and...

"Iie!" She clung to the solid comfort of having him near. For him to have seen her vulnerable almost twice...

"K-kyouya-sempai..." She whispered tears overflowed continuously, involuntarily.

"It's alright, Haruhi, I'm here..."

_Such tenderness in his voice... It was so loving it pains my chest only to hear it... Stop it... If I cling to you now, I won't be able to stand up on my own again..._

_I stood strong before. I could do it again. _

She pulled away slightly. But what he saw in her made his eyes widen. It also made him take her in his arms again.

"No, Haruhi. Not with those eyes... Please." He whispered.

"Gomen." She said softly against his ear.

_I really don't know what I'm apologizing about..._

Without realizing it, she was clinging to him again, now that he was standing up. He was carrying her back to the house, just like Tamaki-sempai did when he jumped after her at the beach.

But it felt different.

When Tamaki-sempai was holding her, what she felt was fraternal love radiating from the Host club's president.

Now...

Kyouya:

"I'll run a hot bath for you or you might catch a chill." Kyouya said, inscrutably.

"I could do it myself." Haruhi protested.

"Fine. There will be a power outage in an hour. It's better if you hurry. There's only one bathroom in order."

Haruhi swiftly made her way to the bathroom. Wearily, he sprawled on the sofa, not bothering to take off his wet clothing.

_I think I'm the one who caught a cold... _He thought wanly.

Then, he recalled what happened earlier.

Those eyes...

_I also had those eyes before... In words, refusing to ask for help, but with eyes that are begging for comfort..._

_They "used" to reflect my own... _

_Now I know how to live with the fact that no one will care for me... ever._

"I sincerely hope she won't turn out like me..." He smiled mirthlessly.

Haruhi:

"It sure feels nice and warm..." Haruhi smiled and sank back on the tub.

_I didn't know Kyouya-sempai was so... caring. _

_But when he looked at me inscrutably when we were in the woods, I felt something... A feeling from him somewhat akin to what I'm feeling._

"You must be feverish, Fujioka Haruhi." She told herself firmly.

As she started dressing up, the lights suddenly went out.

Though she was not particularly scared of darkness, she still dressed swiftly and felt her way back to the living room where Kyouya-sempai was waiting.

"K-Kyouya-sempai?" She called out. The room was bathed in the mellow gold of the fireplace. It took her some time to get adjusted to the gloom.

When she finally saw him, he was lying on the sofa, his arm draped over his eyes, apparently sleeping. She had never seen him lying down before, much less sleeping.

"There must be a full moon today..." She joked quietly. Rather than wasting her time doing nothing, she decided to prepare dinner.

As quiet as a mouse, she scurried around the house with an old-fashioned lamp, looking for food in the kitchen.

Finally, she was able to come up with creamy onion soup and some garlic bread. Really, she had no idea that the Ootori family had an estate like this rest house. It seemed in contrast with compared to all their estates, high-tech and scrupulously clean.

Though she had to admit, the old Victorian house had a certain charm. It's such a shame that no one preserved it.

There were no electric heaters but there was abundance in fireplaces. Very cozy.

Before the dinner got cold, she approached Kyouya and lightly tapped his shoulder. _His clothes were still damp! _

"Kyouya-sempai!" She said loudly, shaking him awake. "Kyouya-sempai, wake up, you'll get sick!"

One brilliant onyx eye cracked open. "What is it Fujioka?" He asked.

"You clothes are wet! You should change!" She said, in near panic.

He heaved a sigh then slowly got up. She almost recoiled when she felt the dark aura surrounding him.

_I guess he doesn't really like being woken up. Shadow king._

"A-anou... sempai?" She approached him cautiously.

"Hn?" He peered at her sideways.

"I already made dinner. Please come back after you changed." She said haltingly.

"I'm kind of tired. I'll retire for the evening. You shouldn't have bothered making dinner." He said coldly.

_That hurt. And to think I put all my effort into that soup! _She didn't look at him, instead, "Rest well, Kyouya-sempai."

Kyouya:

He shouldn't have acted so cruelly with Haruhi. But if he didn't then she would have found out about the fever he's having. His body is failing him at the moment. Weakly, he struggled to change his clothing and stumbled clumsily on the bed.

_It's so cold. _

Haruhi:

As she ate in silence, she thought on what to do if in case the typhoon lasted longer than they expected.

_Should I call for someone else's help? _

Even thought she's scared half of her wits, she didn't want the "unexpected" vacation alone with Kyouya-sempai to end. She didn't particularly know why she wished that, even though she and Kyouya weren't on close terms. Actually, she was quite terrified of him before.

_But what he did at the woods..._

_Made him so endearing to me._

To think that the "Shadow King" would actually run after her under those circumstances.

She sighed.

Sighing became a habit of hers ever since she'd joined Ouran Host Club. She felt a bit upset because her efforts were wasted upon making dinner that he wouldn't even taste.

She sighed again.

Resigned, she went back to her room at the end of the house. It was surrounded by large floor to ceiling windows that gave her a clear view of the woods that would have been very beautiful if it weren't raining. Beyond the glass pain, everything was pitch black. Depressing and slightly eerie.

She snuggled into the covers and buried her head into the pillows.

It smells very familiar.

Kyouya:

_A tall slim woman was wearing a black dress, almost matching the shimmer of her long cascading jet black curls. She was laughing prettily, lightheartedly. _

"_Kyou-chan, come here..." She called after him. _

_He remembered that she was the only person he allowed to call him that. Feeling happy suddenly, he stretched his hand and reached out to her._

_"Hahawa.__" He called._

_Just when he was only an inch away from her, she suddenly disintegrated. "Hahawa!" He shouted._

_She was replaced by the image of his father. "It's going to be a long way before you'll become my heir."_

_His father smiled mirthlessly, "Actually, I'm thinking of placing your eldest brother as heir. He had been very productive this yeas you see..." _

"_No. I worked very hard for that title. Can you please give me a little more time to prove myself?"_

"_It has been decided Kyou-kun." Said his brother gleefully._

"_I'm the rightful heir. It's my birthright." Sinister smiles as well as pitying ones were thrown at him. _

_He turned around, _

"_I'm very disappointed in you Kyou-chan." His mother was back, her face glum, and vanishing before his eyes._

"_Hahawa!" _

"_Kyouya-kun... saiyonara." The host club were also walking away from him._

"_Kyouya-sempai..."_

_Haruhi..._

"Kyouya-sempai!"

Haruhi:

Thunder and lightning erupted again. Haruhi couldn't take it any longer.

Light flashed brightly in her room that afforded her a horrific view of the lightning she was scared of most. She whimpered slightly.

Gathering every ounce of courage she had, she stumbled out of her room.

_At least the hallway's quite dark..._

But she forgot that thee was also a floor to ceiling window at the end of it, only draped with red curtains. Lightning flashed again, colored crimson, affected by the said curtain. At the other end of the hallway, she saw a--

Unable to think anymore, she bolted into the nearest door. Closing it firmly, she slid to the ground, panting and shaking.

"Nakanaide, Haruhi..." She told herself firmly.

She smelt a faint scent of mint and jasmine. Black hair protruded from the blanket as the occupant shifted on the bed.

Strong unsteady breathing could be heard even in the pouring rain.

The room was thankfully draped with black curtains and was lit adequately with firelight. Cautiously, she approached the bed.

"Kyouya-sempai?" She asked quietly.

His face emerged as he shifted to one side. Her heart sank.

He looked very pale and pained. As if he was having a nightmare.

Actually, he was, she realized. His brows were drawn together, hands clutching the blankets tightly and uneasy on the bed.

"Kyouya-sempai!" She said a bit more forcefully.

She knelt beside the bed, on the floor, she touched his shoulder and shook it.

Something was very wrong. His shoulder, through the thick fabric of his night sweater was very warm.

She touched his forehead.

_He's burning! _

"Kyouya-sempai, please wake up!" She exclaimed, while shaking him awake.

She ran quickly back into her room, ignoring that the sound of thunder weakened her knees and located her mobile phone.

"Tamaki-sempai..." She mumbled as she ran back to Kyouya's room.

_It's no use! I can't call him! There's too much static! _She thought desperately.

A faint strangled moan issued from the bed, Haruhi rushed to his side.

"Kyouya-sempai!" She touched his arm. Really, through the fabric of his sweater, she could feel his overly warm temperature.

His feverishly bright eyes opened a fraction.

"Kyouya-sempai, can you hear me?" She asked.

He didn't answer. He was looking at her but not seeing her as if she was a mere transition.

With all the quickness she had, she sprinted towards the bathroom, got a clean piece of cloth and filled a basin with relatively cold water.

Gingerly, she sponged his face, hoping to somehow disperse some of the deadly heat inside his body.

"You were this worse and you didn't even bother to tell me?" She bit her lip but continued to wipe the young man's face.

But the odd thing was, unlike other people who are suffering from colds, he wasn't perspiring.

"Haruhi?" Came a rasp. He was in somewhat a semblance to consciousness.

"Yokata..." She sighed, and bowed her head.

"W-why are you here?" He tried to sit up.

"N-no, don't." She pushed him gently back towards the bed.

Kyouya:

He had a feeling that his brain was functioning very slowly at the moment. Fujioka Haruhi's face registered only minutes after he saw her. _Damn!_ He was feeling like crap. Everything feels as if burning in the inside but freezing on the outside.

Fianlly, he managed to whisper, "Haruhi?"

Relief flooded her face that he thought she was doing to cry. _But why?_

She said something but he was too tired to pay attention.

Somehow, some of his senses came back to him. "Why are you here?"

He wanted to sit up because his lungs weren't working properly but Haruhi pushed him back. Actually, right at that moment, he felt infinitely pathetic that even if he put some effort into sitting up, he wouldn't be able to.

A cold cloth pressed onto his forehead gently. He opened his eyes again. So that's why he wasn't able to see Haruhi properly. He removed his glasses before sleeping.

"You didn't eat dinner, Kyouya-sempai. Shall I get you some soup?" She asked.

"No... I'm fine." He whispered.

Suddenly, a sick feeling twisted in his gut, acid burning in his esophagus, rising into his throat--,

With all his strength, he pushed himself up, scrambled off the bed.

A startled Haruhi tried to catch his wrist but he jerked it forcefully back and covered his mouth with his free hand. The weak coordination of his body managed to stumble him to the bathroom, just in time to shut the door and give way to the ravaging of the contents of his stomach.

Haruhi:

"Kyouya-sempai!" She half-yelled and knocked on the bathroom door. She was quite surprised when he suddenly jerked his hand from her grasp but understood when he made his way to the bathroom.

The sound of him throwing up was muffled with the rattling of rain on the roof and the wind blowing outside.

It was about half an hour when he came out, pale, shivering to the point of almost collapsing on Haruhi.

"Daijoubu, Kyouya-sempai?" She asked, while supporting him to remain upright.

"Ah." He nodded.

"Usotsuki." She said softly.

He sighed slowly. "If you won't believe my answer, why bother to ask the question?"

When he was settled back into the bed properly, he asked again, "Why are you here?"

_I must tell the truth. _

"Well, you see..." A clap of thunder erupted. She was able to control her upcoming shriek but the jerk of her body persisted.

"Oh..." He uttered in realization.

His hand was shaking while clutching the covers and his breathing was a bit shallow.

"Are there any fever pills here?" She asked, to avoid awkward silence.

"I don't really know." He closed his eyes. "The last time I went here was six years ago."

She tried to ignore the sounds of rumbling thunder but she just can't.

_I thought I got over this phobia when I was with at the church. It turns out, a phobia is still a phobia, no matter what you do. _

"Haruhi." Kyouya's voice was surprisingly firm for a sick person.

"Hai?" She neared the bed.

"Don't pretend. I know you're terrified." He said as a matter-of-factly.

Anger suddenly sprouted from her chest for some unknown reason. Why did he care? As if he did that before.

"So?" Her brow furrowed. "Admitting to the truth won't help, Kyouya-sempai. Neither you nor I could do a thing about it." She said dryly.

His face shuttered for a moment.

"Gomen." He whispered and looked away.

Feeling remorseful herself, she sank on the floor beside the bed and burrowed her face on the cushion.

_I'm so cruel. How did I even dare to remind him of his moment's weakness? _

Tears began to penetrate on the sheets. _Why am I feeling like this? What is it that affects me so terribly?_

_I'm so unworthy... _

_Ever since I arrived in Everwood, I seemed to be very vulnerable and prone to tears..._

_How could a place unleash all my hidden grief and doubts?_

_Or perhaps the question should be..._

_How could he?_

A soft, and fever-warm hand held hers and squeezed shakily. She looked up.

"Gomen." He repeated.

Very slowly, he lifted the blankets slightly, a silent gesture for her to burrow into bed with him.

Suppressing a terrible urge to cry hysterically, she swallowed hard and stared into his fathomless eyes.

_Never mind propriety and modesty._

_Even for just a moment. _

She rose quietly and gratefully sank into the warm bed and the soft covers. When she was finally settled on the bed, she was quite surprised when Kyouya's arm came around her, warming up her chilled body.

Hot tears made wet trails on her face to the mattress.

_Who would have thought the person that could comfort me most was the one I thought the coldest? _

_No._

_I never thought of him as cold._

_Even though his eyes had the color of a hard flint boulder, they still beheld something akin to warmth that took one person's persistent determination to see it._

She didn't exactly know why she was crying.

Kyouya:

Haruhi was shook slightly. He felt her icy feet brush against his. Something wet was on his shoulder. Summing up the fact that Haruhi was trembling and her head was on his shoulder, he concluded she was crying.

The last time he concluded something, it was with detachment. But now...

Without much of a moment's hesitation, he hugged her tightly. "Nakanaide..." _Don't cry... when you cry, I don't know what to do..._

He held her the best that he could. It didn't matter if his body wasn't really cooperating. But he knew how it felt to be at the deepest part of loneliness without anyone comforting him. It was very painful. So for the time being, he will be with Haruhi. Even though he might not be the most important to her now, he will stay with her for as long as she needed him. At the moment.

"Anou..." she mumbled. He noticed that she finally calmed down. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her voice slightly husky from crying.

"Nani?" He said, looking directly at her.

"You have a fever and yet you don't sweat... How come?"

_Ah, Haruhi. Such questions..._

"Ever since I was a child, that's my problem. I don't sweat that much so I can't disperse the heat inside me. That's why it takes me days so recuperate from a fever." He explained.

Haruhi:

He was so... warm. And oddly, comfortingly soft. Even when she was no longer crying he was still holding her.

"Why are you so scared of lightning? Is it because it may strike you? Is that it?" He asked.

She breathed deeply. His scent made it's way to her rambled senses. Gentle jasmine and a very faint smell of something originally Kyouya's. Startled, she blushed. Why was she so troubled about someone else's smell?

Maybe it because...

_It's just that... he smelled so good! _

"Haruhi..."

"H-hai!" She blushed again.

"Never mind."

She paused for a while.

"Maybe it's somewhat an allusion to what I feel." She answered him quietly.

"An allusion?"

"Yes. Like the way thunder sounds. Whatever you do, you could still hear it. You could still feel it vibrating. Implacable."

"Hmm..."

"You must think of me as silly, Kyouya-sempai." She hid her face against his shoulder. _Jasmine scent on a man seemed so... irresistible. Or only because Kyouya-sempai was the one wearing it?_

"No. Not really. On the contrary, I see some sense. But please elaborate further." His voice was a pleasant sound when vibrating in his chest, against her ear.

"When my mother died, I so desperately tried to escape sadness. So desperately that I began to blot out other emotions as well." She had no idea why she was telling these thing to Kyouya. But strange enough, he seemed to be the right person to tell.

"I was on the verge of wanting to forget but not willing to." With a wry smile, "I'm losing it, am I not?"

"No you aren't. I'm quite surprised another person could possibly feel the way I do." Kyouya sighed. Though his temperature is still high, strength was suffusing him. Haruhi could feel it herself.

"You--- you feel that way?" She asked. "Why?"

"It's a hard impact on a person when he learns that he is nothing but a mere puppet and extension to a large business. And much harder when the one who treats him that way is his father."

Haruhi gasped.

"Trying to see everything as an advantage me was a trait I was trained to master. But I didn't like it. Everyday, my father tells me to grow into the proper Ootori heir. He tells me this but does the same to my other brothers. Like... a horse chasing after a carrot on a stick in it's back. No matter how much it runs, it will never catch the carrot. I wanted to forget about everything but I just can't. I can't possibly forget Fuyumi-neesan... Nor can I forget my mother."

It seemed very natural to put her arms around his waist. To feel his muscles ripple at her touch. To comfort him in his moment of melacholy. _If only I could ease every pain that he feels..._

"In a way yes, your allusion to thunder and lightning is true. Like sadness, it always finds you. No matter what you do it will still find you."

She was crying again.

At the same moment, "You're crying again."

"G-gomen... It's just that..." She snifled. "Those facts still hurt..."

Kyouya:

This time, he verbalized what he was thinking a while ago.

"Don't cry Haruhi... When you cry, I don't know what to do..." He said helplessly.

Her slender arms around his waist tightened and her nose pressed against his chest.

"Stay..." She said in a voice barely a whisper. "Just... Stay with me."

Carefully, he tilted her head back with his hand. Her tear-filled eyes were shining with sorrow. Wanting to erase those sorrows away, he kissed her forehead, then her brow,

Then her eyelids, one after the other, tasting salty tears.

Then her the tip of her nose.

"Just give me a reason Haruhi..." He said lingeringly.

She looked up at him.

"And I will stay with you forever."

Uncertain, "Are you sure of what you're saying?" She asked.

"You knew long enough that I don't say things I don't mean." His steady gaze found hers.

With utmost sincerity, he kissed her forehead again.

"Is it enough reason if I tell you I love you?"

"Forever, Haruhi."

OWARI+

(Yes, I know it sucked, and I'm pathetic...)

A.N. I made this story specially for my best friend, Nikki-chan, who have managed to read all the stories (even the incomplete ones) that I have made. I really hope you liked it.

This story is "hopefully" three chapters long, each story has an individual plot but same pairings in a connected series of events. This is just the start of my KyouyaxHaruhi story. I can't do the next chapters now, of course coz I don't have my own computer "yet". So it'll take time.

Thanks for putting up with my pathetic efforts and I hope you'll be back to read more of my fictions. I also want to thank those who reviewed and corrected my earlier errors. If you don't like my story, sorry. ' But If you did, thanks a lot for reading, I would like to hear/read from you. If you want to reach me, just PM me and we can talk bout random things.

Here are some of the Japanese terms I used, and their meanings. I'm not Oh-so-sure about them, so please, correct me if I'm wrong.

Definitions:

Daijoubu- are you okay?

Sempai- usually addressed to someone who is a senior

Anou- Japanese equivalent to 'hey' or 'you see'

San- polite way to address somebody

K'so- Damn

Naze/Dooshite- why

Iie- no

Gomen- Sorry

Neesan- Older sister

Hahawa- formal term for mother

Nakanaide- Don't cry

Hai- yes

Usotsuki- Liar

* * *


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